Who works out EARLY in the morning? Advice needed.

jp2007 · Jun 11, 2012

I wake up and train about 2.5 hours later.. I eat immediately upon waking, 50g protein/15g carbs/10g fat.. 45 minutes before training I drink a shake, and I drink a shake intra workout too.

It's very important to make sure you get a lot of fluids in you before your workout. Obviously you're a bit dehydrated when you wake up in the morning, so be sure you pound those fluids.. Try guzzling a glass of water straight away, and then with breakfast have a glass of water and a glass of another drink (crystal light, powerade zero, etc.).

Pharm_Fed · Jun 11, 2012

A couple things in here I will try and see what works best for me. Off to try out day 1. Thanks for the input guys!

sammy555 · Jun 11, 2012

Pharm_Fed said:
Due to some recent changes in life situations I am exploring the possibility of working out before leaving for work in the morning. This would be from about 5:30am to 6:45am.

Previously I was working out during lunch break so it was no problem getting 3 solid meals in before hitting the gym. I am not going to wake up at 4am to eat so what do you guys do that work out super early?

I was thinking some BCAAs or a protein shake with some fruit or Gatorade or something. Thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks.

If i work out early i have a bowl of dry oats with a few chopped up bananas an orange and s chicken breast and train about 30 mins later. It's a light meal and i get a good work out, if im deadlifting i like to leave it an hour otherwise the belt squashes all the food and gives me the shit

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heavydeadlifts · Jun 11, 2012

Been up since 4am hitting the gym here

I just hit a prewo shake and train fasted

Postwo have a big shake, some carbs and hit the shower and head to work

I love it cause after work you can just go home and crash

woodswise · Jun 11, 2012

Pharm_Fed said:
Thanks for all the feedback. I am hesitant to eat a full meal because I don't want to be digesting food while I train. I am doing a heavy, high volume routine right now with very little rest and it's pretty intense. I don't want cramps or to upchuck from having a stomach full of food. That's why I was thinking something super quick to digest would be best for me.

Also, this is a huge change in schedule for me so something that is quick to get down is a huge plus also. I have some "Buzz Saw" arriving tomorrow from True Nutrition (I don't care for coffee). Maybe that with some BCAAs, fruit, water and gatorade will be enough and of course I'll have a PWO shake and meal shortly after.

If I had an hour an a half between waking and the gym whole food would be fine, but I live 45 minutes from work so I have to leave at 7. That means I have to be at the gym at 5:30. That only gives 20-30 minutes from when I will be waking up. I just don't think it's realistic for me to wake up earlier than 5am, even that is pushing it.

I will definitely eat a good meal before bed, that's a great idea. I appreciate all the advice, and welcome anyone else to contribute.

I usually train within 30 minutes of eating and never have any problems. Drinking plenty of water helps.

woodswise · Jun 11, 2012

Incognito1 said:
Very similar routine to me, except my post work out is protein and waxy maize, my second meal is at about 9. Plenty of water is a must

I have read about guys who do this and am going to make the change when I start insulin in the near future.

fireazm · Jun 11, 2012

i might be wrong

but having a preworkout shake
and training
is NOT training fasted

if I am wrong please correct me

Pharm_Fed · Jun 11, 2012

Well this morning went well. Today tried this: drank 1L of water and trained fasted. Felt strong and actually really good. And appetite has been through the roof ever since training. Tomorrow will try something else. It's an ongoing learning process

DrZaius7 · Jun 11, 2012

Arnold used to train on an empty stomach.

I don't like this approach but would rather have some amino's & quick digesting carbs in the blood stream.

Worst thing to do would be to workout on a full stomach. Those oats will take forever to digest. Your muscles will be requesting blood during workout but the blood will be in your stomach digesting the damn oats!

notsonaturalANYMORE · Jun 11, 2012

I used to have to train very early.
I would wake up a hour earlier and eat eggs and trite then go back to bed.
And then go train about and hour later.
Sipping karboload itra workout.
Protein after then chicken or eggs and rice.

maldorf · Jun 11, 2012

TNH said:
I agree, if I go to sleep with a good meal and am well hydrated, I can wake up early and train with just some aminos in me.

Yeah, that will be the key. Getting in a really good meal before you go to bed will insure that when you wake up in the morning your muscles will be full of glycogen and you will be ready to go. Just drink some water and youll be good to go.

Main thing I would worry about if I were you is getting warmed up. I feel like it take ALOT longer to warm up early in the morning like that after laying in bed all night long. I feel like by being up and just doing normal everyday actvities your body warms up naturally but when you get up at the crack of dawn like that and go lift its a bitch to warm up. I cant tell you how many bad muscle strains and other injuries I have sustained when lifting early like that. Usually they happend when i was rushing because of time. IMO if youre running late in he morning its better to either skip the lift or just do a portion of it rather than rush. WHen you rush you dont warm up correctly and you even end up losing some of your form when you lift and get sloppy and thats when you get hurt.

maldorf · Jun 11, 2012

Pharm_Fed said:
Well this morning went well. Today tried this: drank 1L of water and trained fasted. Felt strong and actually really good. And appetite has been through the roof ever since training. Tomorrow will try something else. It's an ongoing learning process

Works good for fat loss too, training when fasted like that. I like the feeling too.

rmtt · Jun 11, 2012

I have been training at 4:00am for almost 10 years now. I love it as there is hardly anyone there and I can get to anything I need.

Since vacation is coming up and I am trying to loose some more BF, I train fasted. Get up, take my peps, Gh and then out the door. I sip on BCAA's throughout my workout and actually for the first part of my day as I am doing IF and don't have my first meal until noon. I stop eating at 8:00pm and around 10:30 take another dose of Peps and then GH again.

We are doing a 5/3/1 plan which is more suited to Powerlifting, and my weights haven't dropped at all...even went up on some lifts. And this while loosing about 7lbs and almost 2 inches on my waist. I'm down to 187lbs and a 29 inch waist again (I love GH!).

The only thing I change when I stop trying to loose BF is that I start my meals right after my workout and eat for 8-10 hours. But I still train fasted with only BCAA's.

Over the years I find that I have a better workout with no food in me aside from what I had the evening before.

maldorf · Jun 11, 2012

rmtt said:
I have been training at 4:00am for almost 10 years now. I love it as there is hardly anyone there and I can get to anything I need.

Since vacation is coming up and I am trying to loose some more BF, I train fasted. Get up, take my peps, Gh and then out the door. I sip on BCAA's throughout my workout and actually for the first part of my day as I am doing IF and don't have my first meal until noon. I stop eating at 8:00pm and around 10:30 take another dose of Peps and then GH again.

We are doing a 5/3/1 plan which is more suited to Powerlifting, and my weights haven't dropped at all...even went up on some lifts. And this while loosing about 7lbs and almost 2 inches on my waist. I'm down to 187lbs and a 29 inch waist again (I love GH!).

The only thing I change when I stop trying to loose BF is that I start my meals right after my workout and eat for 8-10 hours. But I still train fasted with only BCAA's.

Over the years I find that I have a better workout with no food in me aside from what I had the evening before.

Another good thing to sip on prior to the lift and during it is Phil's Liquid Beef Aminos.

Pharm_Fed · Jun 11, 2012

maldorf said:
Yeah, that will be the key. Getting in a really good meal before you go to bed will insure that when you wake up in the morning your muscles will be full of glycogen and you will be ready to go. Just drink some water and youll be good to go.

Main thing I would worry about if I were you is getting warmed up. I feel like it take ALOT longer to warm up early in the morning like that after laying in bed all night long. I feel like by being up and just doing normal everyday actvities your body warms up naturally but when you get up at the crack of dawn like that and go lift its a bitch to warm up. I cant tell you how many bad muscle strains and other injuries I have sustained when lifting early like that. Usually they happend when i was rushing because of time. IMO if youre running late in he morning its better to either skip the lift or just do a portion of it rather than rush. WHen you rush you dont warm up correctly and you even end up losing some of your form when you lift and get sloppy and thats when you get hurt.

Great point on warming up. One good thing about going in the morning is that I'm not as rushed. Training during lunch means I pretty much have to fit it in one hour. In the morning I have a little leeway so if I'm running a few minutes late it's not the end of the world. Thanks for bringing that up though

renewlyf · Jun 11, 2012

Try this whole food shake

1 cup Kiefer yogurt
1 cup papaya juice
1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese
2 whole fertile eggs (I eat the yolk seperate)
1/4 cup frz pinapple
1/4 cup frz blueberries
2 tbls vanilla LBAs
dash of cinnamon
BCAA
Glutimine
digestive enzymes capsule
and a caffiene capsule

1 hour before training

Pharm_Fed · Jun 11, 2012

maldorf said:
Another good thing to sip on prior to the lift and during it is Phil's Liquid Beef Aminos.

Another good idea. I actually just got some in the mail today!

Richard Tan · Jun 11, 2012

My diet varies in the AM (sometimes P28 with peanut butter, sometimes yogurt/cottage cheese, etc) but I always have a shake with casein right before bed and then sip All Max Aminocore during my workout...